Cars connect with apps, the cloud at CES

Car makers are racing the put the mobile in
automobile as they connect our vehicles to the cloud and
increasingly blur the line between cars and consumer
electronics.

These systems let you do everything from update your Facebook status to make flight
reservations to access voice-activated navigation. The goal of all
this tech is to make sure we're connected, even after buckling
up.

The pace of development has been blinding and is perhaps best
measured by the role automakers have played at CES. When Ford's
pioneering Sync system was unveiled here five years ago, it was
widely considered a novelty and the show was an afterthought for
automakers. This year, six of the 10 major automakers are at the
show, with booths just as elaborate as you'd see at the Detroit or
Frankfurt motor shows.

Their presence underscores the importance connectivity plays in
the car business, and the role it has in the industry's future.

"Connectivity has gone from being a unique feature that makes
some brands stand out for having it to being a must-have feature
that make some brands stand out for not having
it," said Aaron Bragman, an US car industry analyst with IHS
Automotive. "Sync has turned out to be one of the major selling
points of Ford vehicles. Other car makers want a piece of that
action."

Consumers do, too. This technology is what sets many cars apart,
especially for younger buyers at least as concerned with
connectivity as fuel economy and performance. Manufacturers must
deliver, or risk irrelevance.

"It's gone past cool," said John Waraniak, vice president of
technology for the Specialty Equipment Market Association, a US car
industry trade group. "It's a reason to buy."

Factory-installed vehicle tech including connected
systems Sync,
Chrysler's Uconnect or Audi Connect unveiled at CES this week will
account for nearly $7 billion (£4.55 billion) in sales this year,
according to the Consumer Electronics Association. About 15 percent
of American households own a vehicle with connected communications,
and analysts expect that figure to climb sharply in coming
years.

This is an area where the Big Three have led. OnStar, a
division of General Motors, was launched in 1996, but Ford set the
pace with Sync in 2007. Chrysler followed with Uconnect. They were
all here this year, announcing updated systems, new apps and, in
OnStar's case, a plan to offer its API to app developers.

The Koreans and Germans are catching up. Kia unveiled its Uvo
eServices infotainment and telematics system here, while
Mercedes-Benz rolled out Mbrace2, the second iteration of a
system launched two years ago. Audi announced Audi Connect, a gorgeous
system that uses the latest Nvidia chipset.

The Japanese are, surprisingly, lagging. Their systems aren't as
elegant, and they look and feel a generation behind the benchmarks.
Still, Toyota's Entune -- unveiled here last year -- offers a huge number of apps,
from Bing to OpenTable to MovieTickets.com.

Yet for all the branding and marketing hype, these systems are
variations on a theme. They connect to the cloud via Wi-Fi or 3G --
Audi announced Wednesday that it will roll out 4G LTE
connectivity "soon" -- to deliver streaming audio, social
media like Facebook and Yelp, and apps like iHeartRadio and NPR.
Other common features include automatic crash response,
voice-activated navigation, spoken text messages and concierge
services that will make restaurant reservations, order flowers or
book flights.

Although most systems are used largely for navigation and
entertainment, we'll soon enjoy the versatility of mobile
devices. Sync
AppLink lets you control many smartphone apps from your
dashboard, and manufacturers like Toyota have joined Ford in
offering their API to developers. Others, like Mercedes-Benz, have
in-house teams that work with companies like Facebook to adapt
existing apps.

Eventually, we'll see cloud-based apps that work on your car
just like they work on your phone. And that's where things get
interesting, because apps could lead us down new roads to greater
convenience and safety.

"Connectivity opens up many, many new possibilities," said Nick
Pudar, vice president of business development at OnStar.